Facing a Grandmaster
This time, Lu Feng did not dodge.
Upon hearing Qin Shuang's words, he realized that she was testing his strength.
Dodging the first move is instinctive; dodging again is merely concealing one's true strength.
When facing a Grandmaster, there is no point in hiding your abilities.
He channeled his Nei Jin and met the attack with his right palm.
The Cold Plum Jin, reaching the perfect level.
A chilling power condensed in his palm and collided with Qin Shuang's fist.
"Bang!"
A dull thud echoed through the hall.
The two took a few steps back. Lu Feng looked down at his palm; the chill had dissipated, and his arm was slightly numb.
Qin Shuang also took a half step back, her fist covered with a thin layer of white True Essence, completely isolating the cold power of the Cold Plum Jin.
"The Cold Plum Jin, its perfection."
Qin Shuang withdrew her fist, her tone now carrying a hint of approval.
"You've been with the Demon-Slaying Bureau for less than a month, and you've already mastered an Nei Jin energy cultivation technique to perfection. Few in the entire Demon-Slaying Bureau can match your talent."
"You flatter me, sir."
Lu Feng cupped his hands in greeting, his expression remaining unchanged.
"Use the same sword technique you used to kill Zhao Hu on me."
Qin Shuang stood still again, put her hands behind her back, and her expression became serious.
"Be careful, sir."
Lu Feng took a deep breath.
The remaining 60% of Nei Jin in his dantian began to circulate wildly, surging into his arms and pouring into the Six Harmonies Saber.
The blade emitted a soft hum, and the blade energy piled up in layers on the edge like ripples on water.
Nine Layered Wave Slashes.
He leaped into the air, raising the Six Harmonies Saber high above his head.
When the first slash came down, the Saber Force, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound, aimed straight for Qin Shuang's face.
Then came the second and third cuts, each one heavier and more devastating than the last.
Qin Shuang stood still, without moving an inch.
A faint white light rose around her, Protective Gang Qi.
The unique mark of Grandmaster.
That layer of light was as thin as a cicada's wing, looking as if it would break at the slightest touch.
The first three strikes landed on it, but the white light remained completely still.
Not even a ripple appeared. With the fourth and fifth strikes, the white light trembled slightly.
It wasn't until the sixth strike that the white light began to flicker slightly, barely perceptible to the naked eye.
A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes, and she immediately increased the output of her True Essence.
The Protective Gang Qi became stable again, and the white light was three times brighter than before.
"When!"
The seventh strike landed on the white light, producing a deafening clang like metal clashing.
The force of the impact deflected Lu Feng's Saber Force, and he used the momentum to retreat a few steps, sheathing his sword and kneeling on one knee.
His internal Nei Jin had run out.
He was only at 60% to begin with, Nine Layered Wave Slashes unleashed seven strikes in quick succession, almost draining him dry.
"Good."
Qin Shuang withdrew her Protective Gang Qi, her smile widening even further.
With just this one strike, there are few among those at the Hua Jin who can rival you.
"Thank you for the compliment, sir."
Lu Feng took out a Origin Recovery Pill from his pocket and swallowed it, and his Nei Jin began to slowly recover.
He stood up, his face slightly pale, but his breathing was still relatively steady.
"However, your swordsmanship seems to involve more than seven strikes."
"Reporting to you, sir, there are nine strikes in total. With my current cultivation level, I can only unleash the seventh strike at most."
"The eighth and ninth strikes can probably only be executed at the Late Hua Jin Realm."
Qin Shuang nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
She looked at Lu Feng for a moment, then suddenly spoke:
"Captain Su will return to the Demon-Slaying Bureau in a few days. She will see you in person then."
Su Ying wants to come back, and she wants to see him.
Lu Feng's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm. "Yes! I understand."
"Try not to go out during this period. If you absolutely must go out, let me know in advance."
Qin Shuang's tone was calm, but her words carried considerable weight.
Given her status, the fact that she would use such a tone to give him instructions indicates that Su Ying's request to see him was no small matter.
"Yes."
Qin Shuang took out a jade bottle from her bosom and casually tossed it over.
Lu Feng caught the bottle with both hands; it was warm to the touch and contained at least a dozen pills.
"Take these pills for your cultivation. If you need anything else, just let me know."
Lu Feng glanced down at the jade bottle.
They were all top-quality pills needed for cultivating Hua Jin, including the Essence Transformation Pill and the Jin Condensation Pill, which were expensive items in the Merit Hall.
This bottle is worth at least several thousand merit points.
"Thank you, sir."
Lu Feng put the jade bottle into his pocket without refusing.
The two exchanged a few more words, and Lu Feng answered them one by one.
Qin Shuang would occasionally offer a few words of guidance, not many, but every word hit the nail on the head.
The Grandmaster's vision far surpasses that of a mere Hua Jin Realm expert; with just a few words, he enlightened Lu Feng on several long-standing cultivation challenges.
"You should go back now," Qin Shuang said as a final word.
Lu Feng bowed respectfully, then turned and left the main hall.
After he left, the hall fell silent again. Qin Shuang stood alone in the hall, her gaze fixed on the direction he had left, a slight smile appearing on her lips.
I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd, then suddenly turning around, I found him where the lights were dim.
"The person the young lady had been searching for for so long has actually come to us on his own."
She walked to the table, spread out a sheet of paper, dipped her brush in ink, and wrote fluently, filling a page in no time.
Then she folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it with sealing wax.
"Xiaolian."
Xiaolian pushed open the door and entered as soon as she heard the call.
"Deliver this letter to Miss as quickly as possible."
Qin Shuang handed over the letter, her tone unusually solemn.
"Yes."
Xiaolian took the letter with both hands, turned around and quickly left.
Lu Feng left the military officer's residence and walked back through the long corridor.
I had only gone halfway when I saw two familiar figures standing by the roadside, as if they were waiting for someone.
Lin Miao and Su Qiaoqiao quickly stepped forward to greet him upon seeing him, bowing respectfully in unison.
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
"You're waiting for me here?" Lu Feng stopped in his tracks.
What's the matter?
Su Qiaoqiao took the token from her waist and handed it over with both hands:
"My lord, the merit points for the demon beasts we slew in Black Forest Mountain last time have been awarded. A total of two thousand three hundred merit points, they're all here."
Lu Feng accepted the token without hesitation.
He transferred his merits to his token, then returned the token to her, adding a word of advice:
"I have some matters to attend to during this period. You should focus on your cultivation and try not to go out."
"Yes!" Lin Miao replied readily.
We just exchanged some pills and are planning to go into seclusion for a while to cultivate.
"Go ahead." Lu Feng waved his hand.
The two clasped hands again, then walked happily toward their residence.
The merits they earned this time were nothing to Lu Feng, but for new Demon Slayer Guards like them, it was enough to exchange for several cultivation pills.
Lu Feng did not return directly to his cave dwelling; instead, he went to Chen Hu's residence first.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, Hu Zheng was sitting on a stone bench in the yard, basking in the sun.
The wounds on his face had scabbed over, and his left arm was still in a sling, but he looked much better than he had a few days ago.
Upon seeing Lu Feng enter, he stood up to greet him.
How is the recovery going?
"Much better."
Chen Hu moved his right arm.
"He'll be able to use a knife in a few more days. It's just that he can't exert himself for a month; it's making him feel restless."
"Hold it in."
Lu Feng sat down opposite him.
"It's better than never being able to use your strength again for the rest of your life."
The two chatted for a while.
"Try to stay home as much as possible and focus on recovering."
As Lu Feng got up to say goodbye, he gave one more piece of advice.
Back in his cave, Lu Feng closed the door and sat cross-legged in the secret chamber.